Pick-up tool assembly



March 5, 1968 STECCONE 3,371,371

PICK-UP TOOL ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 18, 1966 IIVVE/VTOR ETTORE STECGO/VE BY wAkRE/v, BROSLER, GYPHER a A/vazm A T TOHWE YS United States Patent 3,371,371 PiCK-UP TOOL ASSEMBLY Ettore Steccone, 8416 Ney Ave., Oakland, Calif. 94605 Filed Jail. 13, 1966, Ser. No. 521,350 4 Claims. (Cl. -402) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pick-up tool assembly involving a vacuum head maintained in proper engagement with a surface to be cleaned, by connecting same to a squeegee, with leaf springs, to which springs is hinged a handle.

My invention relates to vacuuming equipment for vacuuming surfaces such as floors and the like, and more particularly to a wet pick-up tool assembly, for use as a component part of such equipment.

Mobile tank equipment for vacuum drying wet floors and the like, may include a squeegee and vacuum head assembly connected to a mobile vacuum tank, and movable therewith. The usefulness of such equipment is limited to open spaces such as corridors, lobbies and so forth, but is not conveniently useable in vacuum drying in between and under furniture.

Attempts to solve this problem have resulted in the use of an independent vacuum head assembly at the end of a vacuum pipe section or wand, which is coupled to a mobile or stationary vacuum tank by a hose line, the vacuum head assembly including attached or built-in squeegees.

Whereas, a squeegee and vacuum head assembly, when attached to a mobile tank, maintains a relatively stable relationship to the surface being vacuum dried, a vacuum head assembly, when located at the end of a wand is subject to variables, attributable to the manipulations of such vacuum head by an operator. Consequently, the functional relationship of the vacuum head to the surface to be cleaned is not stable, which means variable suction conditions and resultant irregular and ineificient pick-up of moisture.

Among the objects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved pick-up tool assembly;

(2) To provide a novel and improved pick-up too assembly involving a vacuum head, in which the func tional relationship of the vacuum head to the surface to be cleaned, remains substantially stable, and independent of manipulations or angular positions of the handle which controls movement of such vacuum head over the surface to be cleaned;

(3) To provide a novel and improved pick-up tool assembly including a vacuum head and squeegee, wherein the functional relationship between the vacuum head and the surface to be cleaned remains relatively undisturbed and unaffected by required manipulations of the squeegee.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view, partly in section, of a pick-up tool assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in section, taken in the planes 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in section taken in the planes 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view looking at the underside of the vacuum head.

Referring to the drawings for a description of my invention in its preferred form, the same includes a squeegee and vacuum head assembly 1 to which is connected an articulated handle assembly 3, the manner and construction of which assemblies is such as to leave the vacuum head 5 substantially unaffected by manipulations of the handle assembly, in maneuvering the device while in use.

The squeegee and vacuum head assembly in addition to the vacuum head, comprises a squeegee 7, which, in combination with bracket means 9, constitutes a positioning means for locating the vacuum head at its most effective pick-up position, in advance of the squeegee. Preferably, the squeegee is one of arcuate shape, in that one of such shape will guide accumulated water and concentrate it in the region of maximum influence of the vacuum head, whereas a squeegee of the straight edge type, permits escape of a good portion of such water around the ends thereof.

The specific squeegee illustrated, includes a backing channel 11 into which is threaded the squeegee blade or rubber 13, though other conventional types of squeegee construction may be employed.

The bracket means 9 includes a pair of clips 15 symetrically attachable to the backing channel 11 of the squeegee, and these clips support a hinge pin 17 just slightly in advance of the squeegee.

To each clip is afiixed a forwardly extending bracket arm 18, preferably in the form of a leaf spring, to which leaf springs the suction head 5 is affixed.

The suction head may be of conventional design, that is, one provided with a central suction hose connection 19 and having an elongated suction opening or mouth 21 defined by the lower edge 23 thereof.

In many conventional types of suction heads, squeegees are affixed along the longer edges of the suction opening, but these may be dispensed with in the present invention in view of the inclusion of the large squeegee 7 as part of the positioning means for the suction head. Accordingly, the suction head of the present invention engages the surface to be cleaned along its edge 23, and in order to render the suction head more effective in a wet pick-up operation, such edge is provided with a plurality of transverse slots or grooves 25, preferably including a groove in each short side as well as the long sides, the grooves in the long sides preferably being angularly oriented.

The handle assembly 3 for permitting an operator to manipulate the squeegee and vacuum head assembly along the surface to be vacuum dried, includes a stub pole or shaft 31 which is hingedly secured to the bracket means about the hinge pin 1'7.

Affixed to the stub shaft or pole, is a suction pipe section 33, angled at its upper end for connection to a suction hose line 35, the pipe section terminating at its lower end, at a point substantially above the hinge axis. As thus affixed to the stub shaft, the suction pipe section 33 provides a hand grip for an operator, in manipulating the tool along the surface to be vacuum dried, and by reason of the hinged connection of the stub shaft to the bracket means, angular changes in position of the stub shaft and attached pipe section, will not alter the relationship between the suction head and the squeegee, or between either of these components and the surface to be cleaned.

To effect a suction connection between the vacuum head 5 and the suction pipe section 33 to complete the handle assembly, and without upsetting the conditions just described, I provide an articulated coupling between the suction head and the pipe section, which will permit such angular changes in position, of the handle assembly, without imparting to the vacuum head any lifting or tilting force which might raise or tilt it off the surface being vacuum dried, and thus impair its functional relationship to such surface.

I have found to be admirably suited for this purpose, a section of soft, very flexible accordian type hose 39, which is cut to a length preferably somewhat in excess of the maximum spacing between the vacuum head and the lower end of the vacuum pipe section so as to provide a loop, such that no tension, or at most, insufficient tension will be developed in the coupling hose, at the lowest angle of the handle assembly, to adversely affect the suction head relationship to the surface being cleaned, in the normal use of such a tool.

Inasmuch as such lift or tilt force must overcome the weight of the suction head to adversely arTcct such functional relationship, some siight tension can be tolerated in the coupling hose section, and if further assurance in maintaining such functional relationship is desired, the springs 19 may be bowed or angled downwardly somewhat, so as to further resist any lifting component of force applied to the vacuum head.

Inasmuch as the squeegee '7 and bracket means 9 together, constitute means for positioning the vacuum head, it becomes apparent, that should one desire to use only the vacuum head without a squeegee, to provide a dry pick-up tool assembly, rollers or skids might be substituted for the squeegee, with the same advantages insofar as assuring proper functional relationship between the vacuum head and the surface to be cleaned.

The pick-up tool assembly, as thus described, can readily and conveniently be maneuvered into and around otherwise hard to reach areas, with assurance that the suction head will maintain its most efficient functional relationship to the surface covered, and this is important in that such hard to reach areas are usually the areas in which dirt is most apt to accumulate, if not cleaned regularly.

From the foregoing description of my invention in its preferred form, it will be apparent that the same fulfills all the objects of my invention, and while I have illustrated and described the same in considerable detail, it will be apparent that the same is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles involved, and I accordingly do not desire to be limited in my protection to the specific details illustrated and described, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pick-up tool assembly comprising, a vacuum head, means when resting on a surface to be cleaned, for positioning and maintaining said vacuum head in fixed functional relationship to said surface while in use, said positioning means including supporting means independent of said vacuum head, in contact with said surface and in spaced relationship to said vacuum head, means including a leaf spring bridging the space between said supporting means and said vacuum head, and handle means hingedly secured to said bridging means at a location intermediate the said supporting means and said vacuum head, whereby movement of said handle means about its hinged axis will not, in and of itself, alter the functional relationship between said supporting means and said vacuum head.

2. A pick-up tool assembly comprising, a vacuum head, means when resting on a surface to be cleaned, for positioning and maintaining said vacuum head in fixed functional relationship to said surface while in use, said positioning means including a squeegee independent of said vacuum head, in contact with said surface and in spaced relationship to said vacuum head, means bridging the space between said squeegee and said vacuum head, and handle means hingedly secured to said bridging means at a location intermediate the said supporting means and said vacuum head, whereby movement of said handle means about its hinged axis will not, in and of itself, alter the functional relationship between said supporting means and said vacuum head.

3. A pick-up tool assembly in accordance with claim 2, characterized by a vacuum hose and a flexible coupling, flow connecting said vacuum hose to said vacuum head, means connecting said vacuum hose along said handle means, said flexible coupling means being of sufficient length and flexibility to enable full swing of said handle to its lowermost position, without altering the functional relationship of said vacuum head to said surface to be cleaned.

4. A pick-up tool assembly in accordance with claim 1, characterized by a vacuum hose and a flexible coupling, flow connecting said vacuum hose to said vacuum head, means connecting said hose along said handle means, said flexible coupling means being of suflicient length and flexibility to enable full swing of said handle to its lowermost position, without altering the functional relationship of said vacuum head to said surface to be cleaned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,012,195 12/1911 English 15-410 1,263,396 4/1918 Faustini l5320 2,510,270 6/1950 Yonkers l5410 XR 2,610,351 9/1952 Lilly l5401 1,970,290 8/1934 Ernzer 151.7

FOREIGN PATENTS 129,270 12/ 1928 Switzerland.

ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

